High Society

Location

Museum

Rijksmuseum

Working hours:
9:00 to 17:00 daily, all days of the year: so the museum is also open on Christmas day, Boxing day and New Year's day

Always check the current working hours on the website.

High Society March 8 2018 to June 3 2018

The Rijksmuseum presents ‘High Society’: four centuries of glamour by the great masters of the history of art, including Cranach, Veronese, Velázquez, Reynolds, Gainsborough, Sargent, Munch and Manet.

The highlight of the exhibition will be Rembrandt’s pendant portraits of Marten Soolmans and Oopjen Coppit. These spectacular portraits were painted to commemorate the couple’s marriage. This will be the first time since their restoration that they will be on view to the public. The exhibition features over 35 paintings from international museums and private collections in Paris, London, Florence, Vienna and Los Angeles.

Over the centuries, many powerful monarchs, eccentric aristocrats and fabulously wealthy burghers have commissioned portraits of themselves, arrayed in all their finery, from the best painters in the world. Preferably standing, life-size and full-length. The young Marten Soolmans and Oopjen Coppit are the only couple that Rembrandt ever painted life-size, standing and full-length (1634). This prestigious format was primarily reserved for monarchs and members of the aristocracy. It was not until some time later that it was used forhigh societyin general.

In the exhibition, Rembrandt’s Marten and Oopjen are in very exclusive company. The others include mighty rulers, such asCharles V, the Holy Roman Emperor, ruler of the largest domain since the Roman Empire. There are also eccentric aristocrats like theMarchesa Luisa Casati, a femme fatale who was widely known for her extravagant parties. OrJane Fleming, who, at that time, was considered to be one of the most beautiful women in England. Prominent burghers, such as the German politicianWalther Rathenau(by Edvard Munch) andDr Pozzi, a dandy, gynaecologist and notorious womanizer (by John Singer Sargent), also feature among the guests of honour inHigh Society.

Most of the subjects are very elegantly or extravagantly dressed, so the exhibition presents a snapshot of four centuries of international fashion: from the slashed breeches and doublet of 1514 to the haute couture of the late nineteenth century.

While the glamorous portraits presenthigh societyat its very best, there are more than 80 prints and drawings depicting – in explicit detail – events that often took place behind closed doors, such as parties, drinking, gambling and surreptitious visits to brothels and boudoirs. These drawings and prints are from the Rijksmuseum’s own collection.

Rarely have so many paintings by world-famous artists been displayed at a Rijksmuseum exhibition. The paintings range from the early sixteenth century to the early twentieth century. The finest works include impressive portraits by Cranach the Elder, Veronese, Velázquez, Gainsborough, Reynolds, Sargent, Manet, Munch and, of course, Rembrandt van Rijn.

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